We’re crushing on a newly-landed rosé from Slovenia! Named after the winemaker’s grandmother, Cuvee Anna is ripe with aromas of wild berries, strawberries, melons and peaches. On the palate, it’s bright and fruity with a lively, refreshing finish. We had it on a recent warm day with some grilled chicken and a goat cheese salad and it was *perfect*
Blend: 50% Žametna črnina, 20% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Grigio, 10% Blaufrankisch (Fun fact: Žametna črnina is the oldest-known grape varietal in the world (at 375-400 years old) and it’s traditionally planted in Slovenia). Aged for 3 months on fine lees.
You’re probably not familiar with the varietal that makes up the majority of the wine but don’t let that deter you – this is a Provence-style rosé that will make you wonder how it’s not from Provence!
This wine is produced in small quantities and not a lot makes it to us in Vermont, so pick up a few and stash them for those hot days (they’re coming, we promise).
ABOUT GÖNC WINERY
Gönc is a family tradition going back to the year 1936, when winemaker Peter Gene’s great grandfather built a wine cellar and planted a vineyard around it in the small town of Dobrovnik in Slovenia. After World War II, Peter’s grandfather moved to the city of Ptuj and started working in the Ptujska Klet winery as a cellar cleaner. He worked his way up to head winemaker and CEO of the oldest winery in Slovenia (now know as Pullus).
Peter’s father worked at the same winery but on the side, he planted 24 acres of vineyards in Dobrovnik to keep up the family tradition (they now have 28 acres total). When Peter came of age they built a new cellar in Ptuj and started Gönc again. Peter is the 4th generation of winemakers and winegrowers in the family.
30 Days of Rosé | #21 | Fess Parker | Pinot Noir Rosé | 2016 | Santa Rita Hills | California | $16.99 sale!
We are most pleased to highlight the Fess Parker Rosé during our cheery and delicious Rosé promotions!
Pinot Noir Rosé is one of the more broadly recognizable varietals, and the award winning wine crafters over at Fess Parker have done a superb job.
In an age where family run business are frequently turning over their business to large corporations, not only does it feel good to support this multi-generational family endeavor… but it’ll make your visceral senses feel good as well!
Our Pinot Noir Rose is always a crowd pleaser! The perfect Spring and Summer wine this light-bodied, refreshing wine is perfect served with charcuterie, grilled salmon or pork tenderloin, but can certainly be enjoyed on it’s own.
Tasting Notes:
Color: Light salmon hue
Aromas: Rose petal, guava, ginger, cherry, wild strawberry
Aging: 88% stainless steel & 22% barrel fermented and aged for 5 months in neutral French oak
Production Notes: 592 cases
Vineyard Notes: 57% Parker West Vineyard, 22% Rio Vista Vineyard, 13% Ashley’s Vineyard, 8% Fiddlestix Vineyard all located within the Sta. Rita Hills Appellation
Our Family
When Fess Parker was cast in the role of Davy Crockett in the mid-1950’s, it caused an international sensation and changed his life forever. So too did the purchase of 714 acres in the Santa Ynez Valley change the course of the Parker family’s history.
Realizing the potential of Santa Barbara County as a premium grape-growing region, Fess and his son, Eli, originally set out in 1989 to plant a small vineyard and sell fruit to local producers. But, as Fess’ daughter, Ashley explains, “ Fess is from Texas, so he can’t do anything small. “The Fess Parker Winery and Vineyard now farms almost 700 acres on four vineyards throughout Santa Barbara County.
The characters Fess portrayed, Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, inspired generations of Americans. Throughout the late 1950’s and 1960’s Fess was at the pinnacle of a television career that has an unprecedented impact upon American popular culture. But it was Fess’ entrepreneurial spirit that prompted his leaving Hollywood to go into business for himself. The traits that Crockett and Boone embodied – integrity, resourcefulness and good humor — carried over to Fess’ personal life and formed the foundation upon which the family business was built. First-class hospitality has always been at the core of their ventures, first as hoteliers and eventually with the opening of the winery.
Working as a family has always been a great source of pride and pleasure for the Parker family. Eli Parker began in the family business as assistant winemaker in 1989. After several years of learning the craft at the side of renowned and accomplished winemakers, Eli took the reigns as winemaker himself with the 1995 vintage. A leader of the winery since its inception, it was in 1996 that Eli formally assumed the title and responsibilities of President. In the early 1990’s, Ashley ran the first tastings out of the barrel room and represented the winery at trade shows. In 1998, Ashley became Eli’s partner, working on the public relations and sales and marketing teams. The presence of Fess and his wife Marcy as the founding visionaries of the winery is a vital and enduring one.
Our Story
Driving north along the pastoral Foxen Canyon Wine Trail feels like traveling back to California’s early days. Rolling hills frame vast meadows, deer and wildlife roam free, and pristine landscapes stretch as far as the eye can see. This peaceful environment enticed the late Fess Parker into buying a 714-acre ranch here back in 1988. The Texas-born actor, who played the television roles of Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone in the 1950s and 1960s, had moved his family to Santa Barbara in the early 1960s and begun construction of a blufftop home. When heavy rains caused it to collapse onto the beach, he revised his plans and headed inland.
There, he discovered the Foxen Canyon property, where he initially planned to run cattle, plant a few grapes to sell to other vintners, and establish a small winery. Parker, an only child, dreamed of starting a family business that he could pass on to future generations. He asked his children to join him, and they planted a five-acre experimental Riesling vineyard in 1989. Eli, his son, started as assistant winemaker and spent three years under the tutelage of acclaimed enologist Jed Steele before taking the helm. Eli then planted more vines and started a four-year project to build a cutting-edge winery and tasting room.
Eli Parker and his sister Ashley continue to stay involved as stewards of the family’s vision for the winery while Ashley’s husband Tim Snider serves as President and oversees day-to-day operations. The family’s vineyard is the 120-acre Rodney’s Vineyard, named after Fess Parker’s late son-in-law, at the 400-acre Foxen Canyon Road estate where the winery is located. They also source grapes from Camp Four vineyard in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, which Parker planted in 1998 as well as vineyards in the cooler Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley appellations. Blair Fox assumed the role of head winemaker in 2005. In recent years, the winery has sharpened its focus to produce more small-lot, vineyard-designated wines made from high-quality Rhone and Burgundian varietals, which have won awards in national wine competitions.
30 Days of Rosé | #18 | MIP | Made in Provence | Cinsault-Syrah-Grenache Rosé Wine | Côtes de Provence | $16.99
We adore Rosé. We buy multiple kiddie pools worth of Rosé. We don’t buy stacks of every Rosé much less give it the special treatment of a fabulous home garden picture (Kate!! <3 ) so when we stack a Rosé, it’s because it we want to make sure it lasts for more than a hot minute over here. MIP – Made in Provence Rosé whispered to us through our nose, and yelled in our mouth “buy a lot!” so we stacked it. Enjoy!
The estate with its eight hectares of vineyards at the foot of the Mont Saint Victoire in Puyloubier, near Aix-en-Provence, was created by Michel Fabre in 1979. The children’s arrival in the business (Virginia in 2005, followed by Aurélien in 2009), brought fresh impetus to the running of the family estate. Since then, the estate’s work methods and winemaking practices have been completely overhauled. This process of change has in particular led to major investment in cellar technology (press with protection against oxidation, cross-flow filtration system, bottling line with protection against oxidation), as well as in vineyard machinery (latest generation wine harvester, hydraulic cultivator), but above all to changes in the estate’s sales and marketing strategy. The young Fabre generation has succeeded in implementing a modern, technology-focused and unique approach to winemaking while conserving the authenticity of this large and still family-run estate. The vineyards are being expanded with the planting of new grape varieties to enable diversification of the product portfolio.
A refreshing, easy-to-drink wine and guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Vinification method: Immediate pressing under oxygen-excluding conditions. Fermentation at low temperatures.
Ageing: Four months on fine lees.
Tasting: Very light rose petal coloured robe. Pleasant and powerful bouquet with notes of white flowers and small yellow fruit. This is a wine with a delicate mouth feel which is ideal as a pre-dinner drink on a summer evening or as an accompaniment to light meals.
Food pairings: Ideal with light meals, salads, BBQs and with Provençal-style cuisine in general. Perfect for a before-dinner drink with friends. Try with grilled Mediterranean seafood.
About Domaine Sainte Lucie:
Early September is when the harvest is due to commence. The winemaking cellar is fully disinfected, the vats are descaled and the equipment is set up to receive the grapes. At Domaine Sainte Lucie, harvesting starts around 5th September. During a three-week period, the cellar operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to ensure that the expression of our terroir and our work throughout the year are transferred to the wines.
For the majority of our wines harvesting is done mechanically and at night so that the harvested grapes are cool (reducing the energy required for cooling). The cooler the harvested grapes are, the less transfer of colour there is from the grapes to the juice. The current trend in Provençal rosé leans towards wines with a pale coloured, glistening robe. Our up-to-the minute harvester has in-vehicle technology enabling the grapes to be harvested whole, without damaging the vineyard.
The grapes are then quickly transferred to the winemaking cellar in stainless steel hydraulic-flow bins. A natural approach to protecting the grapes is implemented right from their arrival at the cellar. Our processes are driven by our sustainable winemaking principles, which aim for the lowest addition of sulphites possible.
Growing characteristics: Use of sustainable agricultural practices
Winemaking characteristics: Vinification under oxygen-excluding conditions with no sulphites added at harvesting and low-temperature fermentation to avoid denaturing the flavour of the grapes and the character of the wines.
The winemaking process – technique & tradition
Several winemaking techniques are implemented at the winery. For the rosé wines, which account for the major part of our production, either immediate pressing or skin-contact maceration is used. However, there is also a third winemaking technique, which is specific to our estate. This secret technique is of course what gives our wines their specific profile.
Pressing or maceration – Rosé wines
Our rosé wines are produced using one of two techniques: immediate pressing or maceration. Immediate pressing is employed. As soon as the grapes arrive at the winemaking cellar, they are protected with dry ice and cooled. The harvested grapes are entirely destalked and lightly crushed.
The juices extracted at pressing are again cooled to facilitate settling. This settling stage, known as débourbage, consists of allowing the rosé grape must, which is full of plant debris and pulp, to clarify naturally by settling. Débourbage takes from 12 to 24 hours depending on the maturity of the grapes.
Once the very clear juice has been separated from the rest, the sediment is filtered out, enabling a highly aromatic juice (known as the suc de la vigne) to be obtained.
It is only once this clarification stage is complete that the fermentation of the grape must can commence. Alcoholic fermentation at low temperatures, lasting 15 to 20 days at a constant 16°C, helps to preserve the future wine’s aromatic potential. During fermentation, vats are checked three times a day and the contents tasted regularly.
30 Days of Rosé | #16 | Boyden Valley Winery | Rosé La JuJu | Frontenac & Cayuga | $15.99
Our friends at Boyden Valley Winery produce friendly, easy drinking wines with great care and expertise. We are pleased to be highlighting their crowd pleasing, every-day-rosé right along some of our favorite seasonal vin.
Drink locally (and deliciously!) by exploring Boyden Valley Wines – we’ll happily point out the 10 table wines we have in stock PLUS the 4 dessert / Ice Wines, PLUS their 5 ciders AND their liqueur!
In case you didn’t notice… we’re not just big fans of their liquid portfolio, but our warm friends who make VT increasingly delicious.
David and Linda Boyden started milking grapes in 1997 with the founding of Boyden Valley Winery. Three generations of Boydens had been milking cows at the Boyden farm prior to that. Rosé La JuJu continues the tradition of fine wines produced at the Winery. Named after their daughters, Juliette (JuJu) and Laurence, this Rosé is crafted from estate grown Frontenac and Cayuga White grapes. Rosé La JuJu is a fun and delicate dry wine, appealing to the pallet and to the eye with a soft pink hue.
Tasting Notes:
A dry French, Provential style Rose with nice tannins, vibrant acidity and flavors of black raspberry and raspberry.
Pairings:
Salmon
Sushi
Strawberry & Chevre Salad
Details:
Varietals: Frontenac & Cayuga
Alcohol: 12%
Residual Sugar: 0.50%
Total Acidity: 0.77 TAR
PH: 3.4
Cultivation:
We carefully tend our vineyards throughout the year from pruning in late winter to cultivate the most fruitful buds, canopy management mid-summer that will expose the leaves and produce the most healthy fruits, and harvesting our bounty in the fall. Learn More …
Land and Soil/Terrior
Our unique location in the Lamoille River Valley provides us with a unique climate and soil to produce a range of fruit that varies from delicate white wines and robust reds to rich and decadent Vermont Ice wines. Learn More …
Old World Wine Making Tradition:
We make our wines, ciders, and spirits using traditional, old world methods from hand harvesting our fruits to aging in French Oak barrels. Every product is crafted with care and attention to detail resulting in outstanding quality to please your palette. Learn More …
Meet the Winemaker
Tom Lambert, our winemaker and vineyard manager works tirelessly to create delicious wines, ciders, and spirits. His passion for the process from vine to bottle is evident in every sip, and he loves to experiment with new and unique fruits to our list of products forever growing! Learn More …
30 Days of Rosé | #14 | A Tribute To Grace | Rosé of Grenache | Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard | 2016 | 13.1% ABV | $23.99
Number 14 of our 30 Days of Rosé is one of the most sought after Rosé wines we get – A Tribute To Grace.
Only a handful of cases of this muchly sought after Rosé make it’s way over from Angela, most of it is instantly snapped up by people in the industry and repeat customers waiting for it.
This wine quickly sells itself every year without marketing itso if you want a bottle (which you do!!) of Angela’s Rosé, get yours before they are gone!
From the bottle:
This wine is a tribute to Grace, my Grandmother, whose quiet strength and guidance has taught me the true meaning of her name. As my own journey unfolds, grace has become me most revered of nature’s atributes, thus making Grenache the perfect medium.
A Tribute To Grace Wine Company is dedicated to crafting authentic expressions of Grenache.
All wines are single-vineyard sourced to maintain authenticity, and remain 100% Grenache.
Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard, Cuyama Valley, Santa Barbara County
The Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard is situated 33 miles east of Santa Barbara, in the Sierra Madre Mountains. Sitting at 3200 feet elevation, the setting is home to sand, brush, exposed rock, and the odd dingo-type wild dog. And grapes. On my first visit to the vineyard (as pictured in this photo), my mother and I were driving the 33-highway route north from Ojai and were beginning to wonder if we had indeed entered the famed Ojai vortex, so foreign was the setting. We hadn’t seen a single soul in over an hour – in fact nothing living save the odd Matilija mountain Poppy. Upwards we continued to climb, until finally we rounded yet another hairpin-bend and both gasped. Nestled below, amidst a vast sea of sand, were row upon row of vibrant vines.
And so is the setting for this incredible vineyard. Arid and blazing hot in the summertime, snow-laden and sleepy in the wintertime. Not that the summer months see an influx of people, I believe the permanent population of Ventucopa is 59…
I have an ongoing lease of three rows in this remarkable vineyard, which is owned by Laetitia Vineyard and Winery, and nurtured by their famed vineyard manager Lino Bozzano. The entire vineyard is managed sustainably, and planted according to particular site-specificity. Although there are a total of 12 varieties planted, the Grenache plantings represent only 4% of the total vineyard – with five different Grenache clones planted. I am one of five winemakers currently producing wine from this block, and the difference in the wines we each produce speaks volumes as to the part man plays in winemaking.
~ Grace’s Story ~
I am a New Zealand born winemaker who moved to California in 2006 with the dream of making Grenache. In the land from which I stem, the climate is too cool to ripen this sun-loving beauty. And so began my search: northern Spain, southern France, southern Australia, California…
Abundant sunshine and entrepreneurial spirit led me to the latter, and in 2007 I sourced my first Grenache fruit from the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard. Nestled high above the Pacific Ocean and 33 miles inland, this high-desert vineyard provided the perfect balance of heat and light I sought.
I chose to name my label after two of my favourite things: my Grandmother Grace, and my most beloved attribute. My winemaking intention is to capture this spirit, and stay as close to nature as humanly possible. The trio is completed by the grape itself, which to me encapsulates grace.
My first Thanksgiving in California in 2006 saw me strolling the sands of Moonlight Beach, Encinitas. I was thinking of my Nana Grace, and how much she would love this american tradition ~ and was drawn to write ‘grace’ in the sand with the big toe of my right foot. When I stood back and looked at it, I realized this would be my label: a tribute to grace.
Luckily for me, my dear and most talented friend Nicole Sykes advised me against using this actual image for my label, and instead provided the graceful design that has adorned each bottle since 2007. The Queen Anne’s Lace motif comes from a dried flower she found in a Dublin vintage market, symbolizing simplicity, femininity and the circle of grace.
30 Days of Rosé | #12 | Effusion | Moussé Fils | Champagne Rosé | 2016 | $47.99
We sift through well over 1,000 wines a year to pluck the best to share with you – it’s hard work!
We have an extensive selection of sparkling Rosé and were not looking at all to add another one, especially if it would retail at over $500 a case.
Moussé Fils whipped our heads around, sent us into a tizzy, and we HAD to have it.
We mulled over dozens of reasons to not buy it, head, heart, and palate battled – our visceral senses won over our brains because Moussé Fils was too delicious to not bring in.
With only a couple exceptions, we’d rather drink this any other sparking wine we’ve ever had under $150 which is saying a lot considering everything we’ve had over the years.
Skip the big commercial brands, and grab a bottle of Moussé Fils for brunch, special celebration or casual occasion.. or hint hint nudge nudge… the next time you want delight your partner (or treat yourself – we know you deserve it!).
At $47.99, Moussé Fils punches twice above it’s weight class for flavor and pleasure. To say the least, this one is a stunner.
It’s hard not to be too enthusiastic about this wine. We’ll stop talking and let you explore it.
In case you didn’t notice, we plainly hardcore ♥ Effusion Moussé Fils Champagne Rosé.
You’ll find Champagne Moussé Fils in the heart of the Marne River valley in the village of Cuisles where, since 1923, perfecting the art of growing Meunier and bringing it to the peak of its potential has been the guiding principle of everything we do.
Our vineyards are spread out across 4 different villages yet all of them are on the same hillside; an unusual characteristic that is reflected in all of our champagnes.
Our family has been making champagne for 4 generations now and we’ve been growing vines from as long ago as 1750 so you can understand why we attach so much importance to looking after the environment. We want to ensure that our champagnes reflect all the character and personality of our vineyards and to achieve that we pay the most scrupulous attention to each stage of the wine making to ensure that everything is done as naturally as possible.
Our Principles
Use of the natural light
No chemical weeding
We use plants to protect other plants
Horse ploughing
Wood diseases treatment with perfusions of essential oils
We use the latest light-weight bottles to reduce CO2 emissions
Much of our water comes from natural springs
When old vines are dug up they are used for household heating
The cellars are temperature controlled using a soil-air heat exchanger
Protecting the vines and taking care of the environment
Each building produces its own hot water from solar panels
Chilling of the wine in a natural way
Planting seeds following the moon’s cycle
Tractor’s decontamination in a specialized washing station
Growing grass in the vines in Autumn to improve soil quality
Mirror-finished tank to save water
Self-sufficient in electricity
Eco-conceived storehouse
« We do not inherit the earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children ». – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Moussé Fils | Champagne Rosé | 2016
Cépage: 92% Meunier 8% Pinot Noir
Assemblage: Blend of solera 2003-2014 and 12% red Wine from Meunier
Info/Source: Sourced from vineyards in Cuisles, Jonquery, Châtillon-sur-Marne and Olizy.
Vines: 25 years old on average.
Malo: Yes
Elevage: Oak and stainless steel tank
Sur Lees: 16 months
Region: Champagne
Appellation: Vallee de la Marne
Color: Rosé
Farming Practice: Practicing Organic
What are the origins of Meunier?
It’s a more rustic variation of its genetic parent Pinot Noir and was called Meunier, without the word Pinot, so as to avoid confusion between the two.
Where does the name Meunier come from?
According to reference books about grape vines it seems that the name comes from the characteristic, soft, white coating on the leaves that makes them look as though they’ve been covered in flour, hence the name Meunier which means Miller in English.
These days Meunier has a good reputation, but that hasn’t always been the case. Why is that?
Meunier was often disparaged when used on its own and for years it was shunned by the big champagne houses. It was only Henri Krug who sang its praises. In the 1970s there was even a premium paid for what were called ‘Noble Grapes’ but it applied only to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Fortunately, for the past few years, Meunier has been regaining its reputation and today it’s considered to be the perfect varietal for blending. You only have to look at the great Meunier champagnes of René Collard to see the truth of this.
Why is Meunier the preferred varietal at Champagne Moussé Fils ?
Our family has been growing Meunier for 12 generations and every generation has believed in its vast potential. I wanted to give Meunier the respect it deserves and to show lovers of fine champagne that Meunier can produce wines of the utmost finesse. Our motto “Deeply Meunier” is the perfect illustration of that ambition and the perfect reflection of our wines: fine, elegant, and fruity.
– Cédric Moussé
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